Ofsted’s new single framework for the inspection of local authority services for vulnerable children will come into effect from November 2013. The framework will bring together child protection, services for looked after children and care leavers, and local authority fostering and adoption services. Inspection gradings have been revised so that anything less than ‘good’ …

Ofsted is to push ahead with the introduction of a tougher inspection regime for children’s services, ignoring warnings from the sector that the system is too simplistic and will fail to deliver improvements. Debbie Jones says Ofsted’s ambition is to establish “good” as the new minimum for children’s services. The regulator’s new inspection framework …

One-third of councils previously judged by inspectors to have child protection weaknesses are still failing to meet minimum requirements, figures show. The death of Daniel Pelka has once again raised the issue of child protection in the UK Fifty councils in England have been re-inspected by Ofsted over the past 16 months after …

Ofsted inspectors said no children were “at risk of harm” Medway’s service for children in care has been rated as inadequate in a report by the education watchdog. Ofsted’s inspectors said there were 400 looked-after children and 209 with “care-leaver” status when the inspection was carried out in July. The report highlighted delays in …

The government is considering taking failing children’s services out of local control at a handful of councils, local government children’s services chief David Simmonds has said. David Simmonds said council services that have repeatedly received inadequate grades by Ofsted were candidates for government intervention. Image: Lucie Carlier Simmonds, chair of the Local Government Association’s …

Child protection services in Somerset have been given the lowest rating of inadequate by Ofsted. The council has invested £1.4m in children’s services The verdict follows an unannounced inspection by Ofsted inspectors. Social services was told to review its child protection plans immediately including cases that have been closed in the last three months. …